


Solangelo Week 2k19

by Scarletwriter128



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-29
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2020-05-30 19:40:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19410046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scarletwriter128/pseuds/Scarletwriter128
Summary: Nico di Angelo was destined to be in Will Solace's life. These are all the universes where these two meet and have an instant connection unlike any other.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! So, I know that I've been gone for a long time. Sorry about that. I've been trying to work on my WIPs, but I wanted to join in on Solangelo Week. I love these two so much! I hope you guys enjoy!
> 
> Day One: Sun / Moon

Nico was never really sure what to make of people who were so happy all of the time. 

It’s weird since he used to be like that before getting involved in all of this demigod craziness. He would go on and on about a stupid card game and bug everyone, but they were too nice to say anything to him. He knew he was a handful. Bianca was one of the people who didn’t care though. She would sit with him and play Mythomagic with him and they’d crack jokes. Nico may not remember his mother, but he always felt like he had a family as long as Bianca was around. 

That’s not to say he doesn’t have family now. Now, he has Hazel, the sister he didn’t expect but is glad that he found. She was meant for bigger things. She always was. 

And Frank is family too, he guesses. Nico has a feeling that they’ll last. They remind him a little bit of Percy and Annabeth in that way. 

Ahh, Percy. The look on his face when he told him that he wasn’t his type. It didn’t seem to register with him what he meant when he said that, but it did with Annabeth, which made it funnier. Nico always had this fear that she secretly knew about the feelings he had for him, but that fear is gone now. Everything is out in the open. He’s sure that most of the camp knows by now, which means the shock that the son of Hades, the one everyone feared, is gay. Well, almost everyone. Will doesn’t seem afraid of him at all.

He’s the one that started this whole train of thought. As Nico looks out over the camp from his cabin’s porch, he catches the setting sun creating a shadow over Will, who is currently placing a band-aid on a young camper’s knee. As the kid runs off after getting the okay from him, he turns around, startling Nico. He didn’t realize that he knew he was watching him. He didn’t mean it in a creepy way at all! It’s just that, well, Will confuses him. 

“Are you going to keep standing there, or are you going to join me?” Will shouts, heading towards a tree and sitting underneath its leaves. He leans back on his hands, not even looking to see if Nico is coming or not. 

Who does he think he is? He’s talking to the son of the god of the Underworld. He’s the Ghost King! Now see, this is why Will Solace is the most confusing demigod he has ever met. He seems to forget all the things that people say about him, and he treats him as if he’s anyone else. 

Will turns back around and smiles at him.

Nico walks towards him and sits down. 

It’s quiet for a moment until Will decides to break it. “So, how are you settling in?” 

He shrugs. “Okay, I guess.” Nico isn’t that great at conversations.

That doesn’t seem to deter Will. “If there’s anything you need, just let me know. I’m in that cabin over there.” He points at a very shiny cabin, the only one actually made out of gold. 

“That won’t be had to miss.”

He chuckles. “Yeah, well, that’s more Apollo’s style. Not really mine.”

“So, what is your style?”

He gestures towards the setting sun. “Something softer, like those colors. Still represents the sun, but less of a chance of hurting your eyes with its brightness. It’s a lot more gentle and warm, don’t you think?”

Nico nods. Even he can appreciate a nice sunset. “Maybe you could convince Chiron to let you change it. You are head counselor, and there’s going to be a lot of changes around here anyway.”

He looks at the sky as he says, “Yeah, Jason sure has a lot of work ahead of him. I saw how happy he was that you were staying at camp.”

Nico glances at him before directing his gaze back at the sky as well. “You saw that?”

“It’s not everyday someone hugs the son of Hades. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but that guy sure is quite the mystery.”

Nico almost smiles. “Well, I heard that now that he’s around, people will be able to get to know him better.”

Will stands up. “I don’t think he realizes that the only way for people to get to know him is if he lets them in.”

Nico looks up at him, confused. Why does he always act like he knows him better than he thinks? He doesn’t know him at all. 

“I’ll see you later, Nico.”

Will leaves before he can see the slight blush rise to Nico’s cheeks when he hears him say his name. 

Nico stays there until the sun is fully gone and the moon arrives, casting a different glow on the camp. 


	2. Day Two: Fake Dating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico never expected his secret crush on Percy to get out, let alone because of himself. An idea strikes him right when Percy confronts him about it. For some reason, a certain blond boy came to mind, but he's choosing not to question it.

Nico has never been the best with feelings. That’s probably why he’s in this situation right now, facing his secret crush, Percy Jackson. He’s known Percy since he was a kid. The guy is only a couple years older than him, and now they’re in the same school. It’s not like he expected Percy to look his way now that he was in high school. He was only a freshman. Meanwhile, Percy would be graduating at the end of the year. Then, there’s also Percy’s girlfriend, Annabeth. She’s intimidating, but a very kind person. He’d never want to break them up. So, no, Nico had no plans of confessing his feelings to Percy. 

That didn’t stop the universe for making him not notice that the person he sent that long paragraph to was not his best friend, Reyna, but was in fact, Percy. 

You see, Nico may not be the best at talking about his feelings, but he’s not so bad when it comes to writing it, according to Reyna. She jokingly asked what he would say to Percy if he were to ever confess. He sent a very exaggerated paragraph of where he proclaimed his love to the oblivious boy, only to end up sending it to the oblivious boy himself. 

“Nico? It’s okay. I’m actually flattered that you ㅡ”

“It was about Will!”

Well, that certainly surprised both of them. 

Percy raises an eyebrow. “Will? As in Will Solace, my teammate?”

Actually that works. He remembers he called Percy handsome, passionate about swimming, and oblivious. That all fits for Will too. “Um, yeah, him. I have feelings for him. I just accidentally sent it to you instead.”

There’s a few seconds of silence. Percy seems to be taking all of this in. Nico just hopes he buys it. 

A smile breaks out across Percy’s face. “Nico, that’s great! I can totally help you out!”

He shakes his head. “No, don’t worry. That’s okay. I’ll just try to move on. I really doubt he feels the same way.”

Percy puts his hands on Nico’s shoulders, and he feels a tingle go up his spine at just his touch. “Look, I promise that I can help. Trust me, that boy will be falling head over heels for you. Just let me help.”

Woah. He’s pulling out the baby seal eyes. Those totally top that whole puppy dog eyes thing. It’s like he wants to take away Nico’s willpower. “Um, sure. I-I really appreciate it.”

Percy beams. “Great! So, are you free this Saturday?”

Nico just nods. He’s asking him to hang out. It’s not like they’ve never hung out before, but it was always with the group. It sounds like this might be one-on-one. Of course, he’s not naive enough to believe this could turn into something, but his heart can’t help but beat faster at the chance of hanging out with Percy. 

He tells him that he has to go to swim practice, but to meet him at Lovely Lattes, Piper’s mom’s cafe. He agrees, and Nico wants to believe that Percy will eventually let this go.

But, since when does Nico get what he wants?

****

Nico arrives a few minutes late to Lovely Lattes. Hazel says it’s a bad habit of his to always arrive late to things. It doesn’t really bother Nico that much. He’s learned to accept it. 

However, now he wishes he had gotten there a little earlier so that he could’ve had the chance to run out of there because Will Solace is staring right at him as soon as he walks in. 

He has to sit down because there’s no point in running. Will already saw him, and he’s sitting there with a bright smile at his face. The sun seems to want him, going through the wind and shining down on only him. They add a glow to his blond locks. His bright eyes are filled with excitement and a little bit of nervousness, which makes sense since Nico is just standing there, not saying anything. He didn’t even realize he had walked closer to the table. 

“Hey, Nico!” he says, with a cheery smile and a tone to match. 

Nico, on the other hand, is feeling anything but cheery. “Hi, Will.” Reluctantly, he sits down. “Um, I thought Percy was going to be here.”

Will’s smile gets a little smaller. “Well, he told me that he didn’t want to tell you because he didn’t think you’d come if you knew this was a date. He told me that he thought we’d make a good couple.”

So, his crush thinks he’d make a good couple with Will Solace. Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool. 

“And, I thought, why not? I really wouldn’t mind getting to know you a little better. I know that you’re Hazel’s brother and that you’re in my English class. I also know that you’ve known Percy for years. I only met him this year when I joined the team. He seems like a great guy. Very passionate about swimming. I have to admit, I like swimming, but not the way Percy does. I think it’d be cool if the school had archery. Now, there’s a sport I’d be passionate about. I’ve always loved it. My dad taught me. I also love music. Well, playing guitar and piano specifically. I need to work on my singing. It’s not awful, but it’s not the best either. I have a lot to live up to since my parents are singers and so are all my siblings. I actually have ㅡ”

“Will!” Nico says. The whole cafe looks at them, and he gets embarrassed.

Will rubs the back of his neck and smiles sheepishly. “Sorry. I’ve been told that I ramble when I get nervous, and this is my first date.”

Nico winces. Great. He’s going to ruin his first date by telling him he doesn’t really see it as a date. “Will, there’s something I need to tell you. I don’t… I don’t actually have feelings for you.”

His smile starts to slip. “What are you talking about? Percy said ㅡ”

“Percy told you what I told him, and I only told him that because I didn’t want him finding out who I actually did have a crush on.”

Will looks at him, as if trying to figure something out. “You have a crush on Percy, don’t you?”

“Wh-what? N-no, I don’t. That’s ridiculous!”

He chuckles. “I don’t think you realize how many people have had a crush on the infamous Percy Jackson. Like, half of the guys on the swim team have a crush on him. I think half of the school has had a crush on him at some point.”

He’s got a point. “Okay, fine. I have a crush on Percy. But, you can’t tell anyone, especially him.”

He sighs. “Don’t worry. My lips are sealed. But, what should we say when he asks us how the date went?”

Nico knows Percy, and he knows that if he tells him the date went bad, he’ll insist on trying to find a way to help work things out, and he might get the group involved. So, he knows that telling the truth would be the right thing to do, but it would also be the mortifying thing to do, and he’s not prepared to mortified. “I know this is going to sound weird, but do you mind if we tell him that the date went really well and that we’re boyfriends now?”

Will blinks. 

Nico keeps going. “It’s just that, Percy is a very stubborn, loyal person. I’m sure you know this. He’ll try to be a good friend and help fix things if he thought something went wrong. He thinks I have very, very strong feelings for you, so he wouldn’t believe me if I said I simply didn’t like you like that anymore. All I’m asking is if we can fake date for a little bit. It’ll keep Percy off my back. After three weeks, we can fake break-up and say that it just didn’t work out as we had hoped and that we’re better off as friends.”

“Okay.”

“Wait, what?”

Will smiles. “I said, ‘okay.’ I’m down with the plan. On two conditions.”

Nico feels a bit of fear creep in. What could Will possibly want. “Which are?”

“I break up with you.”

Nico feels some of that fear wash away. “Okay, I’m fine with that. What’s your other condition?”

“I get to be the boyfriend.”

“… Did you just make a Drake and Josh reference?”

Will grins, which is answer enough. Suddenly, he grabs his hand from across the table. His hands are a little rough, but they still make Nico feel a certain way. A familiar way. 

However it makes him feel doesn’t matter. What he wants to know is why Will suddenly grabbed his hand and is looking at him like that. 

“So, how are you guys doing?” a suggestive voice asks. A very familiar voice. 

Nico turns and says, “We’re doing great. Thanks for setting us up, Percy.”

His crush smiles. “No prob, Nico. Glad I could help you two kids get together.”

***

It’s been two days since Will and him started their fake relationship. He’s never had a real one, let alone a fake one. He doesn’t know how to navigate this. Should he call him and further discuss the plan? Should they set rules? He remembers that movie that Hazel had him watch. It was a rom-com about this girl who sent out letters and started a fake relationship with one of the recipients. They had a whole contract to make sure each person was comfortable and got something out of it. Maybe he should so the same with Will. They had exchanged numbers before leaving the cafe, so he could text him and ask him if he wanted to meet up in the library before first period. 

“Nico, Frank is here!” Hazel yells from downstairs. 

Nico quickly goes downstairs. Hazel is still waiting down at the bottom of the staircase when he gets there. Her eyes widen at how quickly he gets down, but then she smirks. 

“I see someone is eager to see their boyfriend,” she teases. 

Nico, despite not actually dating Will, gets a little red. “Shut up.”

She giggles and starts towards the front door where her boyfriend, Frank Zhang, is waiting outside. He’s a year older than Hazel and two years older than Nico, so he already has a car. He actually just got his license two months ago. Most parents wouldn’t let their kids in the car of someone who just got their license, but this is Frank. He drives slower than a grandma and is the most cautious person he knows. He definitely is not what you’d expect when you first see him. 

Frank is adjusting his mirrors when they get to the car. “Oh, good morning, guys!”

Hazel gets in the front seat and leans over to give him a peck. Neither are too fond of PDA. Nico wishes he could say the same about some of the other couples at school. He’s noticed that a lot of other high schoolers can be pretty… hormonal.

“Morning, Frank,” Nico says. He actually likes Frank, and that’s saying a lot considering he has a general dislike for people. 

Frank turns in his seat and smiles. “Hazel told me you have a boyfriend now. Congrats!”

Of course, Frank already knows. He wouldn’t be surprised if the whole group knew now. Nico only told one person that this was fake and that was Reyna. (He double-checked that it was her name at the top this time). He would’ve told Hazel, but she’s not the best at keeping secrets. 

With anyone else, Nico would be more snappy, but he can’t with Frank. That, and he doesn’t have the energy this early in the morning. “Thanks, Frank.”

Frank hands him a coffee, which instantly improves his mood. Black, just the way he likes it. Plus, it provides some warmth. He can still see some remnants of snow on the ground. 

He takes out his phone to text Will. 

_ Nico: hey can we meet up at the library before first? _

_ Will: Sure!  _

Nico sits back, sipping his coffee. Hazel and Frank like quiet car rides. They never feel like they need to fill the silence, and Nico actually likes it like that too. It’s very peaceful and calm before the storm that is high school. 

***

Will is waiting there at one of the library’s tables, reading a book. Nico never took him for much of reader. It’s not because of those dumb jock stereotypes. He never really believed those. Percy may be oblivious, but he’s not stupid. It’s just that, he thought Will would be more into performing. He’s very vibrant and is the kind of person he thrives on being around people. He doesn’t seem like the type to be alone and reading. 

Nico sits down in front of him. “Hey.”

He looks up at him and smiles. It’s like this guy loves smiling. “Morning.”

Nico feels very awkward. He’s never one to initiate conversation. “So, I was thinking that maybe we should come up with rules.”

“Oh, like Lara Jean?”

Nico blushes a little. “Yeah, like her.”

Will giggles a little. “No need to be embarrassed. I personally loved that movie.”

Nico thinks for a second on how cute his giggle is, but then he pushes that out of his mind. Now is not the time for that. “Well, anyway, I was thinking that since we’re only going to be together for three weeks, there isn’t much to worry about. But, I’d feel better knowing what you’re comfortable with.”

Will shrugs. “I’m okay with hand-holding, hugs, kisses on the cheek. I don’t mind that much if we kiss on the lips, but I’d like to know beforehand.”

Well, that is definitely a lot more than Nico was anticipating. He was thinking that their relationship wasn’t going to further than hugging. “I’d actually feel better if we stuck with hand-holding and hugs. I’d rather save my first kiss.” Oh, shit, he did not just say that. 

“Your first kiss?”

Oh, shit, he did just say that. “Yeah, but don’t tell anyone.”

Will raises his hands. “Don’t worry, I won’t. It’s not like I’m very experienced either. I’m a freshman too, remember? The most action I’ve gotten is a peck on the lips. That’s what I meant by that.”

Nico lets out a breath. “Okay, good. N-not that you haven’t done more. I don’t care about that. And I don’t mean for that to sound mean or anything. I just meant good that you won’t tell anyone.”

Will smiles. “Nico, it’s okay. Don’t stress yourself out. We haven’t even gone to class yet.”

He almost smiles, but he doesn’t. Instead, he moves forward with what else he wanted to say. “So, how many dates should we go on, and should we post about it?”

“Well, I have a swim meet this Saturday. You can come cheer me on. We could go out afterwards too. Maybe Lovely Latte again?”

Nico nods. “Alright. Hazel has been bugging me to go anyway to support Percy. Also, we could go out the Friday after to see a movie. From then on, we can go on less dates to make it seem like we’re having relationship problems.”

“Okay, but what about social media? I wouldn’t mind, but I have my siblings on there. I don’t really feel like lying to them.”

Nico shrugs. “Well, Hazel, Frank, and Percy know, so it’s only a matter of time before word gets out. I don’t mind if you tell them as long as they keep it a secret.”

“In that case, I can post you coming to the swim meet and say how I have a supportive boyfriend.” Will looks at him a little bit differently in that moment. It’s almost like he’s trying to see through him. His eyes are very captivating. Nico finds it weird that he never noticed them before. 

The warning bell rings, snapping Nico out of his trance. “Y-yeah. A supportive boyfriend. Um, we should head to class.”

They get up, but before they make it out of the doors, Will grabs his hand.

And Nico can’t help but think of how perfectly their hands fit together for the rest of the day. 


	3. Day Three: God / Human

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life was always surprising Nico di Angelo. He never expected to lose his mother and sister. He never expected to grow up in the Underworld. He never expected to find out he had another sister who died too young. 
> 
> But out of all of them, he never expected to fall in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! So, I know it's not even June anymore, but I'm going to try to finish all of these. I hope you guys like it!!

Humans were strange. They always kept on changing, never satisfied with what they have. Then again, the same could be said about a lot of gods. Nico can’t remember the last time he didn’t hear some rumor about Zeus cheating on Hera. Again. Although, it’s not like he can judge too harshly. His father has cheated on Persephone many times. If he hadn’t, Nico wouldn’t have existed. 

Nico and his older sister, Bianca, were born in the 1930s. However, there were a lot of problems going on in the world that Nico was too young to understand. All he knew at the time was that it was scary, and the gods didn’t like it. Bianca and his mother ended up dying. To save his life, his father took him away. His original plan was to place him in the Lotus Hotel. Time passed by very slowly there. But then, it got destroyed by some demigods on a quest. Hades needed to keep his son somewhere safe. So, he took him to the Underworld.

Nico spent the next few years training in the Underworld. His only friend was Cerberus, who protected him fiercely. His father’s attendants were too scared to become friends with him. He tried finding Bianca, but his father warned him not to. He said that she was too young to be given the chance to be a hero, but she wasn’t evil either. She would be stuck in the Fields of Asphodel. That didn’t stop Nico from trying when he turned thirteen. He asked other ghosts if they had seen her, but none answered him, only aimlessly roaming the fields. He quickly grew frustrated until he noticed a certain soul sitting on the ground. 

It turned out that Bianca wasn’t the only sister he had in the Fields of Asphodel.

Hazel, his half-sister who did die heroically but acted too late, was sent to spend eternity there. Nico didn’t think it was fair, but she told him that it was okay. She was just happy that she’d have someone to talk to. From then on, Nico learned to move on from Bianca’s death, but he did get to know Hazel. She was always in the same spot, never feeling the need to leave it. It made him sad knowing that she could’ve had a different life, but there was nothing he could do. It wasn’t like he was a god.

Well, that is until the day he was. 

His father finally let him out of the palace on his fourteenth birthday. He knew how much Nico had trained and had more faith that he could protect himself. Neither expected him to run into a monster as soon as he felt. 

It was a rogue cyclops who rebelled against his brethren, believing he was meant for more than working in the forge. As a result, he hated the gods and their children. So, naturally, he tried to kill Nico, which meant that Nico had to kill him first. 

When Nico was done with him, he felt a rush. It was different than fighting underground against those who wouldn’t actually kill him. So, he decided that he would fight other monsters. Thus lead to him becoming a legend.

He never grew close to any of the other demigods he met along the way. He made sure that no one knew who his father was. But, word got around that there was a young demigod fighting monsters left and right. He’d swoop in, kill a few monsters that were about to eat some demigods, and then be on his way. It certainly confused everyone since most of them craved that glory of being a hero. Nico never really cared about all that.

One day, he did meet his doom. He was facing against the Gorgons. It was a fierce battle, but they managed to strike too many blows, and as he was lying on the ground, bleeding to death, he wondered how his father would feel knowing that the son he worked so hard to protect was dying at the age of fifteen. 

His father must’ve been keeping a closer eye on him that he thought because as he was taking in his last dying breath, he felt something overcome him. Suddenly, he was back in the Underworld, but he wasn’t dead. 

“Nico di Angelo,” his father’s voice boomed. All the servants were there in the throne room, along with Persephone. His father was at his throne, looking as regal as ever. 

Nico could tell something was going on, but he knew better than to just stand there like an idiot. He kneeled and said, “Yes, Father?”

“You have exhibited traits that are very worthy. You never sought glory or fame. You simply wanted to save others. You knew the dangers of going out into the world were much more difficult for you, and you knew that the other gods could find out you were my son. You nearly defeated the Gorgons, which is an incredible feat, along with all the other monsters you’ve killed and the lives you’ve saved. You, Nico di Angelo, will never again worry about the wrath of the gods for you will no longer be a demigod.”

Wait, what?

“You are now officially a god. You will be my right-hand, aiding me in controlling the Underworld. You are the God of the Fields of Asphodel.”

Nico felt that same feeling from before. He stayed kneeling, not daring to move.

“You may stand up and face your subjects.”

As Nico stood and looked out at the faces of his father’s loyal followers, he couldn’t help but think of how fucking lucky he is that he didn’t die. 

***

As the years went by, Nico worked hard to make the Fields of Asphodel a better place. His father told him that he didn’t have the power to bring anyone back to life, but he would be able to have control of what went on in the Fields of Asphodel. Hazel was very excited for him and for his plans. He created a community in the Fields of Asphodel. There were shops and buildings and events. Nobody ever remembered things for very long, but they walked around with smiles instead of blank faces. Hazel did remember, and she always had a smile on her face. Nico made sure that her spot was still only hers. There was now a chair with a cabinet with art supplies. She loved it. 

Nico sometimes wondered if he would run into Bianca when he roamed the fields, but he never thought too hard about it. He didn’t want to get his hopes crushed, so it was just better not to have them and accept that she was really gone. 

Now, it’s been so many years since Nico has been to the mortal world. He knows that demigods still talk about him, but now they know him as the son of Hades who became a god. Boy, did Zeus get pissed when he heard about that. There wasn’t anything he could do though since Nico wasn’t a demigod anymore. Also, everyone found out that he had a daughter named Thalia years later, so he had to get over it. 

Hazel is sitting in her chair, drawing a horse when Nico approaches her. She looks up and grins, “Hey, Neeks.”

He rolls his eyes. “You know I hate that nickname.”

“Yeah, that won’t stop me from calling you that. Sorry, Neeks.”

He huffs, pretending to be mad. He does have a reputation to uphold. “Well, that is certainly no way to speak to a god.”

She snorts. “A god who looks like a fifteen year old. You don’t even look that much older than me.”

He ignores her. “So, Father was saying that he thinks maybe I should head into the mortal world. He says that visiting Camp Half-Blood wouldn’t be such a bad idea either.”

She tilts her head. “That’s strange. What’s the occasion?”

Nico shrugs. “He says that there’s this demigod creating shrines for all of the gods. You remember Percy Jackson?”

“Who doesn’t?”

“Yeah, well, him and five other demigods had to come together and save the world again. One of those demigods is named Jason Grace, and he vowed to honor all the gods. I think Father wants me to ensure that he actually does that by making a shrine for me.”

“Do you think he will?”

“I mean, I honestly don’t care. It’s not like I have any kids or am going to have any of my own. Last I heard, men still can’t have babies.”

She giggles. “Imagine if they could.”

He cracks a smile. “I’m pretty sure there would be ATMs for birth control if that were true.”

She furrows his eyebrows. “ATMS? Oh, those are the machines that give you money, right?”

He nods. “Humans come up with the most interesting things.”

“Honestly. Speaking of which, don’t forget that you said you’d teach me how to do different hairstyles. You know, like the ones you saw on Yougram.”

“It’s called Youtube, Hazel.”

She smiles sheepishly. “You know what I meant.”

He nods. “I will. I’m going to head up now. Better to get it over with.”

She gives him one of her famous, warm smiles. “Who knows, maybe you’ll make a friend.”

Now, it’s his turn to laugh. “Yeah, I highly doubt that.”

***

Nico never intended to stay long at Camp Half-Blood. He only wanted to get in, talk to Jason Grace, and get out. He never meant to end up talking to any other demigods.

“So, are you new here? I’m Will Solace.”

Then again, he never intended to accidentally bump into a demigod either. 

“Um, nice to meet you,” Nico says. He can’t remember the last time he talked to a living human. Wow, that sounds so sad. 

“I know it can be a little scary coming to camp for the first time. I know that I was really scared. My dad’s Apollo. It’s not like I’m a son of the Big Three, but monsters can still catch my scent pretty easily. That’s why I usually stay here year-round. It’s also easier since my mom is usually on the road. She’s a country singer. Do you listen to country music?”

Nico only shakes his head and lets the demigod keep talking. There’s something about him that keeps Nico staying there, listening to things that don’t even pertain to him. 

“Yeah, it’s not the most popular genre nowadays. Well, that’s enough about me. Let me show you around camp.”

So begins Nico’s tour of the camp. Will points out all the cabins, including the ones currently being constructed. He shows him where the Golden Fleece is. He even brings him into his cabin to introduce him to his siblings. 

“Now, these are my brothers and sisters. Everyone, this is ㅡ oh, I’m sorry, I never asked you your name.”

“Um, Nico. Nico di Angelo.”

Suddenly, everyone is quiet. They all stare at him and his black clothes and take in the strange aura that radiated off of him when they first met him. He already knows how they’re going to react. They’re going to bow and fear him because they’ll know him as a god rather than another ordinary demigod.

Then, a boy who looks around Will’s age smacks Will upside the head. “Only you wouldn’t realize you were talking to a god this whole time.”

The boy blushes, making Nico feel a bit bad for him. So, he says, “It’s not his fault. I tried to make it seem like I wasn’t a god because I didn’t want to draw too much attention to myself. I really just came to camp to see Jason Grace.” He turned to Will. “Actually, could you direct me to him?”

Will nods, still blushing. He starts walking out the door, leaving his snickering siblings. 

Nico sends them all a glare, which quickly shuts them up. 

He runs out to catch up with Will. “I’m sorry for not telling you sooner. You just seemed so eager and kind. Also, I’m not used to interacting with living demigods.”

Will’s shoulders are tense. He lets out a breath, causing his muscles to relax. “It’s alright. Let me show you where Jason is.”

“Wait, Will,” Nico says, feeling a little strange. “I did like talking with you. The tour was really nice. Please don’t feel bad.”

He sighs again. “That’s not why I was upset. I was, well, I was hoping to ask you out.”

“Oh.” 

He chuckles bitterly. “Yeah. Seems pretty ridiculous now. I really liked talking to you and I wanted to get to know you, and I just really felt like we were vibing.”

“Vibing? Oh, wait, that means connecting.”

Will smiles before letting it fall. “See! Even now, you’re hopelessly adorable. There’s no point, though. You’re a god. I’m human.”

“You’re a demigod.”

“Still more human than a god.”

Nico would be lying if he tried to say he isn’t attracted to Will. He has a very pretty face. High cheekbones, nice jawline, bright blue eyes, his lips… But, Will is right. He is a god and these types of relationships never last. It’s best if they don’t pursue it.

“Well, how about we just be friends? I could use some more time in the mortal world.”

Will doesn’t say anything for a while. When they reach what Nico presumes to be Jason Grace’s cabin, Will finally says, “Okay. I think we can be friends.”

Nico smiles, which doesn’t happen often, but he thinks that it will start to the more he interacts with Will. 

  
  


***

“I can’t believe you never watched  _ Mean Girls. _ ”

“Hey, I tried learning as much as I could about the modern world! Watching dumb high school movies wasn’t on my list of important things to learn.”

“Yet you managed to watch all the Marvel movies.”

“ …. Look, I think we can admit that the Marvel movies are iconic.”

“Okay, fair, but so is this movie!”

Two hours later, and Nico has come to the conclusion that humans are stupid.

“She doesn’t even go there! Why the fuck would she even be in the movie?”

***

“You’re dead, di Angelo!”

“As if, Solace!”

Nico hears Jason say to Kayla, Will’s sister, “They sure do love water balloon fights.”

She sighs. “Sometimes, it’s hard to remember that he’s a god.”

Nico ignores them and tries to find cover. He can’t let Will win. Again.

***

“Do you ever wonder what it’d be like if you were on the road with your mom?”

“Yeah, sometimes. I miss her a lot. But, it’s better this way. She gets to live out her dream, and I get to survive. I’d rather not put her in danger just by being around her. Besides, I get to see her during the holidays. Not every demigod can say that.” 

“That’s true.”

“Do you ever wonder what it’d be like if Bianca showed up at one of your cafes?”

“I’ve learned to accept the fact that I’m never going to see her again. It’s just the reality of the situation. I should just be thankful that I got to live with her for the first ten years of my life. She was a great sister and took care of me more than our own mother did. I never hated my mother for it. She just had a busy life and was the daughter of a diplomat. Her life was already complicated enough before we came along. But, it did lead to me as seeing Bianca as an authority figure in my life.”

“I think she’d be proud if she knew the person you’ve become.”

Nico looks at Will, who is suddenly a lot closer than he thought he was. “There are some moments where it passes my mind if she even knows what I’ve done with my life and who I’ve become.”

Will places his hand over his. “Even if she doesn’t know, she’d be proud if she knew.”

“How do you know?” Nico whispers, looking into Will’s eyes. Eyes that see him for him. Not the demigod who died and became a god. Not the son of Hades. Just him. Nico di Angelo.

Will leans closer, his lips barely an inch away from his face. He can feel his breath, which smell like mints. He can see the light freckles on his cheeks. He can hear the pounding of both of their hearts. “Who wouldn’t be proud of someone as amazing as you?”

Nico looks down at those lips. The lips that he noticed when he first visited camp all those months ago. He’s tempted to lean in and close the gap and finally find out what they taste like. 

Will looks down at his lips, and he smirks. He knows what he’s doing. That son of a bitch is doing all of this on purpose to unnerve him. Nico knows this.

That doesn’t stop him from crashing his lips against his, feeling the sweet taste of his lips completely take over his senses. All he knows, thinks, and feels is Will Solace, the boy he’s fallen madly in love with. 

***

“Father, there’s something I need to tell you.”

Hades looks across the table at his son, who is clutching the table napkin so tightly that his knuckles are turning white. “Yes, Nico?”

“I’ve fallen in love.”

“Oh? Is she a mortal?”

“He’s a demigod. Son of Apollo.”

Hades makes a face that he can’t quite decipher. “A son of Apollo. Why Apollo? I don’t think you realize how much he’s going to rub it in my face at the next meeting that his son captured your attention.”

Nico smiles softly. “It just happened. I didn’t for it to end up like this, but it did.”

Hades sighs. “Well, I don’t see why you felt the need to tell me. There’s no worry of you creating any demigods, and we know how these types of relationships work.”

Nico knows that this is the hard part. “We’ve been in a relationship for almost three years now, Father.”

“What?”

“I don’t know if you noticed, I’ve been changing my form to match his. I don’t have the body of a fifteen year old anymore. I made myself look different as he aged so that it would seem like I was aging too.”

“Well, how was I supposed to notice? You’re still small.”

“Yeah, it seems that even if I had stayed human and aged, I wouldn’t have gotten much taller. However, that’s not the point. The point is that I’ve realized that I want to spend the rest of my life with him, and he feels the same way. In fact, I plan on proposing to him next year. I even bought a ring.”

“You can’t marry him. He’ll be nineteen and still a demigod.”

“I want to propose, but I don’t want to get married when he is nineteen. I just want to be engaged. We can wait until he’s ready to get married.”

“That doesn’t take away the fact that he is not a god, and I’m sure he wouldn’t want to become one either. If Percy Jackson, who has suffered so much, didn’t want to become a god, why would he?”

“You’re right, he doesn’t want to be a god. He would rather age with his friends and family and live out his life to the fullest. What I want is to become a demigod again.”

Hades is rarley ever rendered speechless, but this is one of the few times where he is.

Nico continues with what he planned to say. “I know that it’s not typically done, but I believe it is possible. We’ve talked it over together, and he said that it’s my choice, and I want to, Father. I want to be with him. I can’t imagine living a life with him, aging with him, only to watch him die and live for eternity remembering him.”

Hades glares at him. “After everything I did to keep you alive, you repay me by becoming mortal for some boy who could break your heart at any moment. I cannot support this. I won’t!”

Yeah, Nico didn’t expect this to go well, so he’s not surprised at his reaction. “Father, I’m not asking for your permission. I’m very grateful for everything you’ve done for me, but this is how I want to live my life.”

“Oh, really? By the side of a boy who you say loves you?”

“I want to live my life by actually living it. With the boy who loves me.”

Hades stares at him for a few seconds before getting up, the back of his chair screeching against the hard floor. He leaves the dining room, not saying a word. 

Nico feels a lump forming in his throat, and his eyes begin to sting with unshed tears. He gets up out of his seat, and in the next second, he’s at Camp Half-Blood in Will’s cabin.

Luckily, Will walks in at that moment, looking as beautiful as ever. He’s smiling, but then he notices Nico’s expression, and he watches as that sunny smile disappears, replaced with a look of concern. He simply opens his arms, and Nico goes to him. As soon as his arms are wrapped around him, he lets the tears fall. 

***

It’s finally the day. The day that everyone has been waiting for, and a day that Nico never thought he would even get to have. 

Today is his wedding day. Today, he will be marrying Will Solace, the love of his life. 

The whole day is entirely chaotic. It’s short and simple since they don’t exactly have the money necessary for a grand wedding. Will is still in med school, and they’ve got to keep paying rent on their new apartment. Also, Will recently took in a stray dog who, according to him, “was too adorable to leave out in the streets.”

So, no, it’s nothing really big, but Nico likes it like that. He may have opened up more and made new friends, but he still doesn’t really have that many friends. It’s not like he really would’ve wanted to invite more people. He still thinks humans are pretty stupid. 

He probably shouldn’t say that since he gave up immortality months ago. Now, he’s a stupid human too. 

Nico gets ready to go out the doors. Will is currently waiting on the other side in his white suit. He doesn’t even have to look to know that he looks gorgeous in it. He wonders if Apollo showed up. They invited him, but he never confirmed. He knows that Naomi came since she was the one who walked him down the aisle. 

They sent an invitation to Hades. He also never confirmed whether he was coming or not, but Nico was pretty sure he wasn’t. He hasn’t spoken to his father since he told him about his relationship with Will. Still, a very small part of him was hoping he would come to walk him down the aisle and give him away. But, he has to be realistic. His father is not coming. So, with no parent to walk him down, he summoned someone else. 

“Nico, are you ready for this?” Hazel says, looping her arm through his, which passes right through.

He smiles at her. It took some work, but he isn’t called the Ghost King for nothing. She can only be here for a certain amount of time, so he’s glad he has family here with him today. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

The doors open, and then, he hears a deep voice say, “Well, he is handsome, I’ll give you that.”

It’s Hades. He came. He actually came. “Father? I thought you weren’t coming.”

Hades sighs. “I may not understand why you gave up everything. But, I know that you’re a wise young man, and I should respect your choices. I can’t let my feelings of the situation get in the way of your wedding day.”

Hazel is practically jumping. “Father, you have made a very good choice.”

Nico almost doesn’t know where to hug him or cry. “Thank you, Father.”

Hades shows a hint of a smile, but quickly smothers it. “Now, let’s begin, shall we? I believe there is a young man waiting at the end of that aisle to marry you.”

Nico nods. With his sister on one arm (sort of) and his father on his other, he starts walking down the aisle towards the love of his life.

He feels … happy.

***

“Hey, Will,” Nico says, as he sways in Will’s arms. Everyone’s eyes are on them as they make their way through their first dance as husbands. 

Will takes his head off of his and looks down at him. “Yes, husband?”

Nico smiles softly. “Thank you.”

“For?”

“My father saved me from dying all those years ago. But, you made me start living.”

Will shakes his head slowly. “No, love, that decision was entirely yours.”

Maybe it was, but Nico still feels like Will was a big part of it. He’d rather not argue with him on it though. So, he tilts his head upwards and kisses his husband.

He’ll never get tired of the feeling of those sparks flying every time their lips meet. 


	4. Hogwarts AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico is just a Slytherin who wants to read in his room and admire his crush, Will Solace, from afar. Because there's absolutely no way that Will Solace, the popular and kind Hufflepuff, has a crush on him.   
> Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I think we're all very excited about the live-action Percy Jackson series. It's honestly motivated me to continue this. I hope that you all enjoy!

“Hey! Leave him alone!” Will Solace shouts at the student who was just about to cast a spell on Nico.

Will, the typically very chill and kind Hufflepuff, just yelled at a Gryffindor. One of the most popular Gryffindors too. He’s a sixth year too. He caused everyone in the Great Hall to stare at them. All of this for him. 

What the fuck is going on? 

“Why do you care, Solace?” the student, Aiden Cross, asks. He still has his wand up and aimed at him. 

Will glares at him. “Because he didn’t do anything to you. You’re trying to spell him for no reason!”

Aiden rolls his eyes. “Oh, come on. He’s creeping everyone out just by his presence.”

“Not me.”

“Well, looks like we have another weirdo in our midst.”

“Rather be a weirdo than an ass.”

“Stop!” Nico says, cutting into their argument. “I was leaving anyway.”

Will’s gaze softens when he turns to Nico, and he tries to ignore how that makes him feel. “Are you sure?”

Nico nods. “Also, I can fight my own battles. I don’t need your pity.”

Will looks almost hurt. “I-I wasn’t ― I’d never ―”

Aiden smirks. “See who you’re sticking up for, Solace? Typical Slytherin doesn’t have a kind bone in his body.”

Nico scowls, but he gathers his stuff. He can feel Will’s eyes on him, but he doesn’t look at him again. Before he leaves, he turns one last time to Aiden. “Typical Gryffindor. Hating on Slytherins and acting without thinking.”

He finally leaves, hoping his cheeks aren’t red from embarrassment. It would be just his luck to turn red in front of his crush right after rejecting his help. 

Why is he such a fucking idiot? 

***

“It was awful! I just stood there like an idiot while Will Solace defended me. Will Solace, of all people!”

Reyna looks up from her laptop, one of the muggle things that she brought with her every year to school. She’s a halfblood, but her parents chose to raise her among muggles. She still meets up with her muggle friends and uses their devices and all that. “No wonder you came in here all red. And here I was, thinking it was from anger.”

Nico turns redder. “Whatever. The point is, I looked stupid in front of Will because of that idiot Gryffindor.”

“Well, you could try to think more positively about the situation.”

Nico squints. “Do you even know me?”

She sighs, closing her laptop. “Will Solace, the boy you’ve had  _ three _ conversations with, defended you against one of the most popular boys in school. I don’t think you realize how major this is.”

He tilts his head. “What do you mean?”  
She rolls her eyes. “It shows that he likes you back, which means that I’m right once again. That boy is in this almost as deep as you are. Actually, you guys might be the same.”

Nico flops down on the bed. “I don’t think so. What are the odds that Will Solace is into guys? He’s never had a boyfriend.”

“Neither have you,” she points out.

He scoffs. “That’s different.”

“How?”

“He could actually get one.”

She facepalms. “Nico, you are so oblivious that it pains me.”

***

“Hey, Nico!” Will greets him as soon as he enters the classroom. His blonde hair is somehow still able to shine, making it a sharp contrast against the gloomy potions classroom setting. “My partner is out sick today, so I was wondering if you wanted to work together? I totally get it if you don’t want to. I know that you usually like to work alone. That’s probably why you like the fact that the class has an odd number of students. Well, anyway, feel free to join me. Or not. It’s whatever you want.”

Nico almost can’t stand how adorable he is. He just wishes Will wasn’t so obviously afraid of him. He knows that he has a reputation of being intimidating, but that’s more because of what people think when they look at him. That stops them from talking to him and realizing that he’s not really scary as long as you don’t piss him off. 

He realizes that he hasn’t said anything, so he mutters, “Um, yeah, sure.”

He goes to sit by Will, who smiles at him. It’s a little shaky, but still cute and shows that he’s happy he decided to sit next to him. His heart flutters a little. 

Professor Slughorn comes in. He’s really old, but he’s decided to stay at Hogwarts, continuing to teach. It came as a surprise to everyone, but they were grateful that he decided to stay. He really does know a lot about potions. It’s also Nico’s favorite class. He knows that if he made it more obvious, someone would go off on how he’s  _ such _ a Slytherin, loving a class that Snape used to teach. They’d joke about how he could create a potion to kill them all, or something else completely ridiculous. 

Nico looks around to see that nobody even noticed that he’s sitting next to Will. Then again, it’s not like he has any Gryffindors in this class. He doesn’t get the point of the feud between Gryffindors and Slytherins. It’s just all so tiring. He’d rather not have to deal with them trying to get a reaction out of him anytime they’re in the same room.

“Good morning, everyone! Today we will be learning about amortentia. Can anyone tell me what this potion does?”

Easy. It’s a love potion. Nico remembers reading about it when he skipped a few chapters ahead. Potions are so much fun to learn about. The way that they are made up of many different ingredients, and they all come together to make something powerful. Each potion has a specific purpose. He finds it really interesting. 

… This is why Jason says he’s kind of a nerd. At least he said he’s a cute nerd. 

Nico doesn’t totally like talking in class though, despite how much Professor Slughorn says that he should. He’s seen his marks and has advised him multiple times to speak up in class, but Nico just can’t. He hates drawing any kind of attention to himself.

Will raises his hand. Professor Slughorn calls on him, and he says, “Amortentia is a very powerful love potion. When you smell it, it smells like the person you love.”

_ Pretty and smart _ , Nico can’t help but think. Seriously, how dateable is this guy?

Slughorn nods. “Very good, Mr. Solace. You and your partner will be making this potion.” He then starts explaining in further detail what they have to do, but Nico is barely paying attention. He’s more focused on the fact that Will is sitting way closer to him than he has to. Their arms are barely grazing, but the slight contact is enough to completely ruin Nico’s focus on what Slughorn is saying. He’s really glad that he read ahead, or else he’d look like such an idiot in front of Will. Again. 

Will clears his throat and looks down at the potion ingredients. “So, um, I wanted to just let you know that I don’t pity you. I never wanted you to think that.” He looks up at Nico, his piercing blue eyes finding his. “I just didn’t want to stand by and watch anything bad happen to you.”

Nico knows that Will isn’t a bad guy. That’s why he likes him. So, he knows that he’s telling the truth when he says he doesn’t pity him. But what can he say without sounding stupid? “It’s cool.”

Why couldn’t he be better at this?

Will nods, but Nico can tell that he was expecting him to say more than, _ It’s cool _ . Ugh, he just wants to finish up this class and go to his room and take a nap. Although, Reyna and Jason might try to get him to go out and get butterbeer or something. She’s always trying to get him to socialize. 

They follow the instructions, and soon, everyone is done with their potion. Professor Slughorn goes around and inspects everyone’s potions, asking them if they feel comfortable sharing what they smell. 

Once he’s at their table, he says, “Well, I had no doubt that this would come out perfect, and it seems that I was right. Now, do either of you feel comfortable sharing what you smell?”

Will smiles and sniffs the potion. “It smells like freshly-made coffee, mint, and…”

Professor Slughorn looks at him curiously, “And what, Mr. Solace?”

Will turns redder than Nico has ever seen him. “Um, nothing, sir. Just coffee and mint.”

The professor looks between the two boys, and his eyes widen, as if realizing something important. Whatever it was, he doesn’t mention it. “Mr. di Angelo, would you like to share?” He asks as if he doesn’t know that Nico would rather play Quidditch than share what he smells from a  _ love potion _ to the entire class. He’s not going to say that he smells freshly cut grass and cedarwood. Will is on the Quidditch team and is always outside. What if somebody made the connection?

Nico shakes his head, and Professor Slughorn leaves them alone, moving on to the next pair. He sighs, relieved that he didn’t push him to say anything. 

Will, still red, taps his fingers on the table. “So, you didn’t want to share?”

Why is he asking? Does he know? “Um, not really.”

Neither of them say anything after that, but Nico could’ve sworn that he saw Will’s hand inch towards him. But when he looked again, it was back where it was.

***

It has been a week since they partnered up in potions class, and Nico has barely said anything to him. He doesn’t know what to say, but he feels like there were so many things unsaid. Reyna keeps telling him to tell Will how he feels, but he doubts that he feels the same way. It’s not like he reached out to him as much anymore. If she was right, then whatever feelings that he had were gone now. 

He’s in his room, reading a book that Reyna lent him. It’s called  _ To Kill a Mockingbird _ . It’s apparently a very popular book with muggles. He hasn’t gotten very far, but he’s curious to see what happens next.

Then, there’s shouting and cheering so loud that it causes him to tear his eyes away from the book. He texts Reyna with the burner phone that she gave him for his birthday. 

**What’s up with all the noise?**

**hufflepuff just beat gryffindor**

**Seriously? I don’t think that’s ever happened before.**

**ik this is a big deal… you should come down and see will to congratulate him**

Nico rolls his eyes, putting down his phone. There’s no way he’s going down to see Will and potentially embarrass himself. It’ll be better if he just stays up here, all by himself. 

Someone knocks on his door. Nico doesn’t have to guess to know who could be on the other side of it. 

He sighs, opening the door to see Reyna with Jason. The two patched up whatever weird thing was going on between them, and they’re cool with each other now. It’s great because Nico doesn’t like choosing sides. It’s also not great because now the two join forces to get Nico out of his room and out into the real world. 

Jason smiles. “Hey, Nico. There’s a certain Hufflepuff who’s going to be very excited to see you.”

Nico raises an eyebrow. “You’re awfully happy for someone who’s team just lost.”

He shrugs. “Maybe if Cross knew how to better use his head instead of thinking of the glory, we could’ve won. This might help him realize that not everything is about him.”

Nico snorts. He doesn’t think this is enough to make Cross a more selfless person, but he doesn’t say anything. 

Reyna grabs Nico’s hand and pulls him out of his room. “Come on, we’re going to go talk to Will Solace. They’re throwing a party in the Hufflepuff common room.”

Nico tries to protest, but Reyna shakes her head. “Nope, you’re not getting out of this.”

The three head down to the Hufflepuff common room, where you can hear music, cheering, and laughter. It seems like everyone must be having a lot of fun. That doesn’t mean that Nico will, though. 

Once they’re inside, he immediately sees Will in the corner, drinking butterbeer as he observes the craziness before him. The two lock eyes, and Nico is glad that no one knows how hard his heart is pounding. 

Will smiles, and he knows that his friends see this because he is suddenly literally pushed into his arms. Will catches him, looking down at him with pink cheeks and a soft smile. 

Nico turns around to glare at his friends, but they’re already gone, blending in with the rest of the crowd. 

“It’s good to see you!” Will shouts over the loud music. 

Nico, too afraid to say that he’s also happy to see him, only says, “Congrats on winning the game!”

“What?” Will shouts back. 

Nico repeats what he said, but it’s hard to have a conversation when the music is blasting so loud that he’s pretty sure all of Scotland can hear.

Will realizes this, and he gestures for them to leave. He’s the star tonight, but he’d rather go and be alone with Nico. He tries not to think too hard on what that could mean. 

Will takes him out of the common room and into the hall. He’s leading him, but he’s not sure to where. All he knows is that he’s holding onto his hand, and he doesn’t want to let go. 

Will finally stops and smiles at him. “I’ve always had trouble getting this to work, but I think now that I’m here with you, it’ll know what I need.” 

All Nico sees is a brick wall. “Um, where?”

There’s a twinkle in his eye when he says, “You’ll see.”

He walks in front of the wall three times, and a door appears. That’s when Nico realizes that they’re on the seventh floor. He’s heard about the Room of Requirement, but he’s never heard of anyone being able to make it appear again. He knows that it suffered significant damage during the Battle of Hogwarts, but he never knew if it still held its magical capabilities. 

Will beams. “It worked!”

Nico, however, is confused. “What do you need?”

Will’s smile dims a bit, replaced with nervousness. “A quiet place to talk to you alone.”

The two enter the room. There are floor-to-ceiling windows that give them a beautiful view of the night sky. The walls are a dark green, reminding him of his house color. It’s not a large room, and the only thing in it is a comfy-looking, soft yellow couch in the middle of it. 

Will grabs his hand again, leading him to the couch. “Okay, so, um, what were you trying to say before?”

Nico, a little flustered since he’s never been alone with Will before, stutters, “Um, I said co-congrats on winning.”

He grins. “Oh, thanks. It’s not everyday that we get the chance to beat Gryffindor. I’m guessing you didn’t see it, though.”

“How’d you know?”

He looks down at their hands. “I remember you mentioning that Quidditch isn’t really your thing.”

“Yeah, it’s not. But, I can see how important it is to you. Plus, knocking down Aiden Cross’s ego is always a good thing.”

Will laughs. “That’s true. God, I can’t stand how he treats you. You’re a lot nicer than people give you credit for.”

Nico shrugs. “I can’t really change how he sees me or how others do. Besides, you can’t lie and say that you’ve never been afraid of me either.”

Will shakes his head. “I’ve never been afraid of you”

Nico looks at him disbelievingly. There’s no way that’s true. “When we first met, you kept stuttering and looked like you’d much rather be far away from me.”

Will blushes. “That wasn’t because I was afraid of you.”

“Then why did you act like it?”

He grips his hand a little tighter. “I thought you were cute, and I didn’t know how to act around you.”

“Oh.” Really, Nico, that’s all you can say?  _ Oh?  _

He can see that Will is starting to regret what he said when he tries to pull his hand back. Nico has to say it. He needs to. “I think you’re cute too!” he blurts out. 

He would be more embarrassed if Will’s face didn’t light up so much. It’s like looking at the sun. 

They’re back to holding hands, blushing while looking at each other. Will is the first one to speak. “So, would you maybe like to go to Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop tomorrow? Maybe at around eleven?”

That’s where all the couples go. Reyna may think he’s oblivious, but even he knows that this is a date. There’s no way that after what just happened, Will is asking him to hang out as friends. 

Right?

“Um, yeah, sure. That sounds great.”

Will grins. “Great. It’s a date.”

Okay, so having that clarification is really nice. But he can’t believe it. He’s going on a date with Will Solace. The boy who stood up for him. The boy who holds his hand like he never wants to let go. The boy who thinks he’s cute and wants to go out in public and show everyone that yes, he likes Nico, the introverted Slytherin.

Tomorrow can’t come any faster.


	5. Kidfic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico di Angelo is so excited! He's at a camp for demigods! It's like his Mythomagic game come to life. Now, he just hopes he can make a friend soon.

Nico walks around camp, still not over the fact that he’s a demigod! This is the coolest thing to ever happen to him!

He’s still worried about Bianca, but she’s going to be okay. She has to be. Percy promised to keep her safe, and he’s seen what he can do. He’s amazing, strong, and brave. He wishes that he could be a hero like him one day. 

It’s time for dinner, so he sits with the Hermes kids since he hasn’t been claimed yet. He wonders who his godly parent could be. From what he’s heard, it can take a while for him to be claimed. Until he is, he has to stay at the Hermes cabin. He likes the Hermes kids. They’re fun and always coming up with pranks. He wonders if any of them know Mythomagic. It’s his favorite card game .

After dinner, everyone goes to the campfire to sing along. Once he’s sitting down, he looks across the fire to see that there’s a blonde boy playing the guitar. He doesn’t look much older than him, but he’s playing better than any adult he’s ever heard. It’s like he lives the music. 

He tries to sing along with everyone else, but it’s hard when he doesn’t really know the words. It’s okay. It’s just nice to be surrounded by so many people. He’s never been great at making friends, and Bianca is the only family he’s ever really had. But everyone here is like family. He’s sure that he’s going to make his first best friend soon. 

After the campfire, Nico gets up and starts to follow the rest of the Hermes kids to their cabin. But then he sees that the blonde boy is still sitting with his guitar, so he goes over to him. 

“Hey,” he says, smiling. “You’re really good! It’s so cool that you can play the guitar.”

The blonde boy blushes. “Um, thanks. You’re new here, right?”

Nico nods. “Yeah. I just got here two days ago with my sister. She’s on a quest right now.” He looks around and notices that nearly everyone has left, leaving the two of them alone. Maybe this boy can be his new friend. “I’m Nico di Angelo.”

“I know,” the blonde boy says. Then he blushes again, stammering, “I-I don’t want to seem weird or anything. It’s just that, when you said that your sister was on a quest, I realized that you’re one of the demigods that everyone is talking about.”

Nico actually doesn’t mind. It’s cool to him that everyone is talking about him and not in a negative way. It’s never happened before, if he’s being honest. “Oh, don’t worry. I don’t think you’re weird. But can you tell me your name?”

The boy, still red, nods. “Will Solace, son of Apollo.”

His eyes widen. “Woah, your dad is Apollo? We saw him before coming here!” Then, his excitement starts to dissolve. “It must be nice to know who your godly parent is.”

Will’s gaze softens. “Hey, it’ll happen. It can take a while, but it’ll happen. Do you have any idea of who you think it could be?”

Nico’s eyes light up. He loves talking about the gods, so he actually has a bunch of theories about who his godly parent could be. That’s how he spends the next hour: talking to his new friend, Will Solace. 


	6. Super Powers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will can't stop himself from worrying about Nico, especially when he decides to shadow travel three times in one day.

“Nico!” Will shouts, running towards his boyfriend who just shadow-traveled into camp. He can’ believe him. It’s like he never listens! He’s always telling him that he needs to be careful with how many times he shadow travels. This is already his third time. He understood why he had to leave the first two times. Apollo needed him for something. What he doesn’t understand is why he would risk shadow-traveling again for a third time for no good reason. 

Nico looks about ready to pass out when Will gets to him, so he holds him up to carry him to the infirmary. The son of Hades doesn’t do much other than mutter out, “Sorry.”

And just like that, it’s hard for Will to stay mad at him. How can he when he looks so vulnerable and obviously feels bad for what he did. “It’s okay. Just please, don’t do that again for at least a week.”

Once they’re in the infirmary, Will brings Nico some ambrosia. He eats it, and a bittersweet smile appears on his face. He’s never told Will what it tastes like to him, but he feels like the memory is connected to Bianca. He only ever gets that look on his face when he thinks about her. He wishes he could’ve met her. 

Will sits next to him, grateful that barely anyone is here. Him and Nico are some of the few campers who stay year-round, and right now, most campers are still at school. It’s nice for them to have some alone time. He’s still in shock that he managed to get Nico, the boy who distanced himself from everyone, to agree to go out with him. They’ve been dating for a couple months now, and he can’t remember ever being this happy before.

Will clears his throat, lacing his hand with Nico’s. He looks at him and asks, “So, do you want to tell me why you decided to shadow-travel for the third time today?”

Nico shifts, not looking at him. “You’ll either think it’s dumb or get annoyed, so not really.”

Will feels any last bit of judgement in him disappear. He knows that it’s still hard for Nico sometimes to realize that it’s going to take a lot to make Will not want to be with him. He’s honestly not sure if there is anything Nico could do to make that happen. He’s had a small crush on Nico ever since he got to camp. They were just kids, so he didn’t understand why seeing the son of Hades walking around camp would make him nervous and his palms sweaty. After he left, he tried liking other people. But there was just something about Nico that made him hard to forget. Then, he actually agreed to stay at camp, and he can’t lie and say his heart didn’t flutter at the possibility that maybe he had something to do with it. 

Will squeezes his hand and brings it to his lips, kissing it. “Hey, I’m not going to judge.”

Nico blushes. “Okay, fine.” He takes a deep breath. “You know how you gave me my first camp bracelet?”

Of course, Will remembers. Usually, the camp gives you a necklace. He wanted to make it himself for Nico, but he didn’t have enough string and their date was in fifteen minutes. So, he made it into a bracelet. The reason why was because he added a bead that the camp wouldn’t have given him. It was a bead with a sun and Hades’s scepter. When he gave it to Nico, he felt a rush of pride when he saw the shock and awe on his face. 

“Yeah. Why?”

Nico looks down at their hands, where the bracelet is currently on his wrist. “Okay, so when I got back, I saw that it was gone, so I decided to shadow travel back to where I left Apollo because I thought maybe it fell off there. And I was right.”

So, Nico risked his well-being to get the bracelet that Will gave him. He looks like he still think Will might judge him. He couldn’t be more wrong. 

Will kisses his forehead, loving that he can do this casually now. “I wouldn’t judge you for something like that.”

“Really?”

He nods. “It actually means a lot that you would do that for a camp bracelet.”

“Well, it’s not just a camp bracelet. It came from you.”

Will can’t stop himself from grinning. He also can’t stop himself from leaning in, wondering how he got so lucky to have a boyfriend like Nico.


End file.
